Can-marking machine.



A. L. DUNCAN.

CAN MARKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 1, 1910.

1,00%,973. Patented Sept. 12,1911.

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Mom W1 1 A. L. DUNCAN.

UAN MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1910.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

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I n 5h uc 1Com RrthUTLII n nu an UNITED STATES PATENT one-10E.

ARTHUR L. DUNCAN, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CAN-MARKING ACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

Application filed July 1, 1910. Serial No. 569,997.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. DUNCAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain ticular kind of brand marked on the top,

which indicated the inclosed in the can.

There is now in use a new type of can known as the sanitary can, and has no cover but is open as it is fed in the machine, the

grade of the substance cover being fastened thereto after the fruit or other substance has been packed in the can. As the new sanitary can now in use by all canning companies has no topit is necessary to mark the can on its side in some conspicuous manner and in order that the mark or brand may be readily seen it is necessary that said mark should be continuous around the sides of the can so that the operator in filling same will have no trouble in seeing it. I a

The present invention has for its object a to provide a machine by means of which a .brand or mark may be placed entirely about the sides of the can. To effect this, cans open at one end are .fed past a branding device. which/can have the branding marks so detachably mounted thereon that the different marks may be applied to cans to indi cate the kind of fruit or. other. substance within the same. I 3

In accomplishing the objects of this invention asgenerally stated above it will of course beaunderstood that the essential features thereof. are subject to variations in design and structural arrangements but one preferred and practical arrangement is .set

forth in the accompanying specification and attached drawings, wherein Figurel is a sideview in longitudinal section of a machine for branding cans con- R structe'd in accordance with thls lnventlon.

Fig. 2 is a rear end view in vertical section of the apparatus on the line AA of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 1s a plan View thereof with the feed conveyer omitted. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view in cross section of the hub and shaft of the branding wheel and its bearings. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in cross section of the inking rollerand reservoir. Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view looking at the underside of the lnking roller and its connections. Fig. 7 .is an enlarged detail view in cross section of the inking roller on the line C-C of Fig. 6. .Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of a second inking appa ratus. Fig. 9 is a view in rear elevation of the device shown in Flg. 8.

In carrying out the invention the appa-- ra-tus is provided at its top with a can conveyer l constructed in any suitable manner, and as here shown, preferably formed with pairs of bottom -rails-2in the shape of angleirons connected by vertical supports spaced apart and pairs of upper rails 3. The sides of the conveyer are provided with guide strips 3 secured to the'uprights which are located adjacent to the ends ofthe cans 5,.

the ends of said cans resting upon the angleirons 2. Movable through the top of the conveyer 1 is an endless belt 6 which passes over a pulley 7 mounted in an upright 8 of .the conveyer, said endless belt 6! extendingv to another pulley andsupport 'not shown. .Depending from the forward end of the conveyer is a chute 9 which may be formed of metal and has hinged to one side of its lower end acurved strip 10 also of sheet metal and yieldingly held in place as hereinbefore de scribed and has formed in its other side an opening 11 through which projects pairs of pulleys 12 mounted onthe shaft 13 having 'its supports in uprights 15 of the main frame. Extending over said pulleys 12 are endless beltsilG mounted on a shaft 17 having its bearingsalso inuprights 15 of the main frame. The shaft 13 projects-through vertical sides 18 of s heetmetal depending fromth e, conveyer 1. Extending from the sides 18 and downwardly inclined is a conveyer 19 constructed in any suitable manner, andas here shown, preferably-with thelower pairsofguide strips 21 formed in the shape ofangle-irons and connected by uprights 22 with upper inclined bars 21' havingguide bars 22 on each side of said'conveyer spaced apartfrom the upper and lower bars. An endless conveyer'belt 23 extends" over a pul ley 24 mounted on a shaft 24 onthe upper springs 44 are inclosed in longitudinal sockets 43 by means of screw-pl'ugs 44 through.

ends of the uprights 22, said endless belt 23 I f extending over a pulley 25 mounted on the shaft 17 of the pullev 17. The endless belt 23 extends over a friction'roller 25' on one of the upper bars 21" of the conveyer frame and beneath the friction roller 26 on said bar.

It will be seen that by means of this construction that the cans 5 passing down through the conveyer 19 will not, engage the belt 23 until each can reaches the point adjacent to" the lower end of said conveyer 19.

By this means, a can arriving at a point adjacent to the lower end of said eonveyer, as

ample, bymeans of a pulley 28 mounted on the shaft 13 so as to be slidable thereon and provided with a clutch 29 which can be opened and. closed by means of a suitable operating handle 30. The lower ends of the main frame are formed-with the diagonal supports 31 which connect at their upper ends with the lower portions of the uprights 14 and at such point the main frame is formed with a tubular socket 32 for the cylindrical bushings 33 in which are located the ends of the spindle or shaft 34 extending through the hub 35 of a wheel36 havingsprockets 37, each being formed with a.bay onet joint slot 38 in 'which is located a'pin 39 projecting from the shaft or spindle 34. Projecting from the flange 40 of each bushing 33 are rods 41 which extend through holes in the hub 35 and haveheads 42 located in the ends of longitudinal sockets 43 in which are mounted coil springs 44 having their ends connected with heads 42 andthe rods 41. The springs 44 serve to 'holdthe bushings 33 'in their socket bearings 32; the

flange40 of eeach bushing bearing againstv the end of each socket aring 32... The

which the rods 41 extend. One of the bushings .33 is-connectedto ashaft45 by means of open endedv slots 46lin oneend of said bushlng 33- engagingthe pins 47 projecting from the shaft 45. It will be seen that by.

means of this construction, the shaft or scribed the hub and shaft of the wheel 36.

spindle by means of the bushing '33 will be in locked engagement with the shaft 45 to rotate therewith.' It will be seen that by means of this construction hereinbefore' dc:

permits the latter to be detached from its bearings by pushing-in the bushing 33 so as to disengage them from the socket bearings 32 all for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. 7 l

The wheel 36 is formed with any number of grooves 48 desired in which are detachperiphery the desired characters of the mark or brand. r

One end of the shaft 45 has its bearings in one of the uprights 15 and the other end in a sleeve 50 on the upper end of an elbow diagonal supports 31.

In connection with the foregoing appa ratus there is prhvided an inking roller 52 preferably a smooth metallic cylinder, mounted on a shaft 53 having its bearings in inclined uprights 54 pivotally secured at their-lower ends to one of the inclined supports 31 and adapted to be swung in said supports so as to move the inking roller 52 into and out of engagement with the branding wheel. A Qcasting 54 extends longitudinally in the rear ofthe inking roller 52 and has its ends mounted in the inclined supports 54. A longitudinal steel strip 55 is mount-ed on its upper edge to the casting inking roller 52. The strip 55 is flexible andmay be adj ustedto and away from the roller 52 by means of set-screws 56 mounted in the casting 54. Mounted on oneend of the shaft 53 which projects beyond one of the supports 31 of the main frame is a pulle 57 over which extends an endless band 58 w ich passes over a pulley 59 on theshaft 13. The shaft-45 which is connected with the shaft of is driven by means of an endless chain 60 which extends over a large sprocket wheel 61 on the shaft 45 and a smaller sprocket to time the movement of the branding wheel to the movement of the cans as they pass over the latter. In connection with this apparatus as second inking device is employed constructed as follows -Pr0jecting from one of the pairs of supports 31 of the main frame are horizontal brackets 63 which extend longitudinally on one side of cross bars 64. Mounted upon the cross bars 64 in any suitable manner is a row. of strips 65 having up-turned ends 65' through which extend longitudinally movable rods formed ,portion 67 forming a shoulder with a square portion and having encircled thereon a .coil spring 68 which has its end bearing against der portion of the rod, the outer end of said rod being secured thereto as at 69 on which ward ends of the rods are each formed with ably located rubber rings 49 having on their,

shaped bracket 51 mounted on one of the \54, and has its lower edge adjacent to the the branding wheel, as heretofore set forth,

is mounted an adjusting nut 70. The for-- wheel 62 on the shaft 13, the relative sizes of said sprocket wheels 61 and 62 being such as I the uprights andar'e connected together by with a square portion 66 and with a rounded one of the up-turned ends 65'andthe shoulparticular brand be three lines to be placed,

a U-shaped portion 71 in which is mounted a toothed'inking wheel 72, the periphery of said wheel being located adjacent to the periphery of the branding wheel. The toothed inking wheels 72 are located above an ink trough 7 3 and partly project into the same, said ink trough being pivotally mounted on the outer end of rods 74.- which are pivotally connected at their inner end with a bracket 75 mounted on the cross bars 6 1 and having extensions 76 which are pivotally connected at their outer ends with the lower ends of vertical rods 77 depending from each end of the cross bar 78 in the center of which is connected the lower end of a vertical rod 79. having a threaded upper portion 80 projecting through a crossbar 81, said threaded upper portion of rod 79 having encircling the same a coil spring 82 held at its upper end by a cotter pin 83 and adjustably held at its lower end by an adjusting nut 84 by;

means of which the tension of saidspring maybe regulated. Projecting from the cross! bar 81 are horizontal bars 85 which are connected with the ends of the cross bar 86 through which projects pins 87 connected at; their upper ends with the curved hingedf strip 10 and having a coil spring 88 locatedi on the pins 87 between the strip 10 and the? cross strip 86.

The operation of the apparatus is as fol-2 lows :Cans 5 having open ends and fedfrom the conveyer 1 to the chute 9 and passi ing down through the same as shown in Fig. 5 1 successively come in contact with the endless band 16 thereby causing the cans to; press on the yielding hinged strip 10, which holds each can as it passes in frictional en-E gag'ement with the band 16 and which ini turn bears against the pins 79 and 87 andpushes down the cross bar- 7 8 and the depending bars 77 by acting on the bars 76, so as to press the inking roller 72 against itge i e branding wheel, which as hereinbefore described, consists of a grooved wheel with def tachable rubber rings in said grooves hav-i ing suitable marking devices extending around their peripheries, rotates against theinking roller 52 and in such rotation the cans as they are fed forward each engage the pe- 1 riphery of said branding wheel. A can ini such engagement with the branding wheel. being pressed against said wheel by the endperiphery of the branding wheel.

less band 16 will becaused to rotate so that the branding wheel will mark the entire circumference of the can. The branding wheel may be formed of any number of grooves desired, and as many rubber rings as desired to mark a articular brand are mounted on the groove wheel. For example should the on the circumference ofthe can three rubber rings are used as shown in Fig. 2. As hereinbefore described, the grooved brand- 'by means of a hinged support and any number of toothed inking rollers 72 maybe employed according to the character of the brand desired to be imprinted on each can. This use of the toothed inking rollers is indicated in Fig. 8the rollers being adjusted into and out of engagment with the periphery of the branding wheel by means of the spring actuated coils and the adjusting nuts 70.

It has been found desirable for certain forms of branding to use a device which supplies ink intermittently and in a narrow line. For this reason the h'ereinbefo-re described construction of the inking wheels 72, the ink trough 73 and the operative parts connected therewith are" employed. When it is in use the inking roller 52 is moved out of engagement with the brand ing wheel.

Having described the invention, I claim 1.1n a machine of the character described, a feed conyeyer. mechanism for feeding cans with a rotary movement, a second feeding mechanism for feeding cans with a rotary movement, a main discharge conveyer connected with said second feeding mechanism, means for yieldingly hold ing each can in frictional engagement with the second feeding mechanism as it passes from the first named feeding mechanism to the second with a rotary movement and a rotary branding device adjacent to said second feeding mechanism and adapted to mark the sides of each can as it said branding device.

2. In a machine of the character described, an 'upper can feeding mechanism for moving the cans forward with a rotary movement, a second can feeding mechanism for moving the cans forward with a rotary movement, means for yieldinglyholding each can in frictional engagement with the second can feeding mechanism as the can passes between the upper feeding mechanism to the second feeding mechanism, a can discharge conveyer connected with the second can feeding mechanism and a branding device movable beneath the second can feeding mechanism and adapted to mark the sides of each can as it is fed over the same. if i 3. In a machine of the character described, an upper can feeding mechanism for moving the cans forward with a rotary movement, a discharge chute located at one is fed past end of said can feeding mechanism, a second can feeding mechanism located below the upper can feeding mechanism and adjacent Y to said discharge chute, and serving to enmovement, a chute depending from said upper can feeding mechanism and provided with a yielding portion, a second feeding mechanism having one end located adjacent to said chute and opposite to said yielding portion thereof, a can discharge conveyer located adjacent to said second can feeding mechanism, and a rotary branding device located adjacent to said second can'feeding mechanism and adapted to mark the sides of each can as it is rotated over said branding device.

In a machine of the character descrlbed, an upper can feeding conveyer consisting of brackets adapted to support cans endwise, and an endless belt movable through the top of said conveyer, and

adapted to contact with the cans andto feed them forward with a rotary movement," a. second can conveyerconsisting of an endless belt, a conduit de ending fromtlie firstnamed conveyer an connected with the second conveyer, said endless belt of the \second conveyer being located in one side of said conduit, and extending along the top of the second conveyer, a ca disclmrge conveyer connected with the second conveyer, and a rotary branding device located adjacent to the second conveyer and adapted to mark thesides of each can as it is moved with a rotary motion over said wheel.

6. In a machine of the character described, an upper can feeding conveyeradapted to move cans endwise wlth a rotary movement, a second can conveyer comprising a chute, and an endless belt movable along the top of said chute and adapted to engage cans moving through said chute, and to rotate the same, and a chute depending from the first named conveyer and formed with a curved lower portion, said endless belt of the second conveyer being located at one side of said chute, a can dis-- charge conveyer adjacent to the second can conveyor and a rotary branding wheel having its periphery located adjacent to the second conveyer and adapted to mark the. sides of the cans passing'through said con- .veyerfbetween said'wheel and the endless belt of the second conveyer.

7 In a machine of the character described, a conveyer for feeding cans for-v ward with a rotary movement, a second conveyer for feeding cans'forward with a rotary movement, a conduit between said conveyers havin a yielding lower section opposite the end ess belt of the second conveyer, a can discharge conveyer located adjacent tothe second conveyer and a rotary brandin wheel having its periphery located at the ottom of the upper end of said second conveyer;

8. In a machine of the character described, a conveyer for moving cans forward with a rotary movement, a rotary branding device, a second conveyer for moving cans forwardwith a rotary movement from and in contact With said rotary branding device, -a conduit connecting said conveyers and means for yieldingly holding each can in frictional engagement'with the second conveyer and feeding the same as it passes over saidconduit to said branding device.

9. In a machine of the character described, a conveyer forfeeding cans forward with a rotary movement, a second conveyer for feeding cans forward with a rotary movement, a conduit between said conveyers, a

can discharge conveyer connected with the second conveyer a rotary branding wheel located adjacent to said can conveyer and an,inking roller located adjacent to the periphery of said branding wheel.

10. In a machine of the character described, a branding wheel having a number of branding rings, an ink trough, a number of inking wheels projecting into said 'trough, and adjustably movable into and out of contact with said rings on the branding wheel.

11. In a machine of the character described, a conveyer for feeding cans with a troughto swing it to and away from said wheels and acted upon by said hinged section of the chute between the conveyers.

12. In a-machine of the character described, a conveyer for feeding canswith a rotary movement, a second conveyer, consisting of a chute with a horizontal upper portion and an inclined lower portion, a main discharge conveyer connected to the end of said lower portion, a chute connecting said first named main conveyer with the upper end of the second can conveyer, a rotary branding wheel having its periphery located adjacent to the upper end of said second chute, an endless belt movable upon the top of said second chute, and guides for said endless belt engaging it with each can as it passes over said branding wheel, and in and out of engagement with each can as it leaves said branding wheel, and in engagement with each can at the lower inclined end of the second chute.

13. In a machine of the character described, a conveyer to feed cans forward with a rotary movement, a chute depending from said conveyer consisting of a chute with a horizontal upper portion and an inclined lower portion, a branding wheel having its periphery adjacent to the bottom of the horizontal upper portion of said chute, an endless belt movable on the upper side of said chute and adapted to press against a can as it passes over said rotary branding wheel, a can discharge conveyer connected to said second chute, a swinging ink trough located adjacent to the periphery of said branding wheel, a number of toothed inking wheels, projecting into said trough, and adjustable into and out of contact with the periphery of said branding wheel, and a mechanism connected with said inking trough and with said hinged section of the chute between the conveyers by means of which said inking trough is automatically swung away from said inking wheels.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- ARTHUR L. DUNCAN. Witnesses:

'H. C. SoHRoEnER, F. P. SoHRoEDnR. 

